Feast of Hunter's Moon
by Ruse Amour
Summary: Sarah unwittingly becomes an ‘honoured guest’ in the Unseelie Court’s Blood Hunt. The Goblin King plans to win it, thereby, winning the throne to the Unseelie Court. Even at the expense of his beloved. J X S
1. Chapter 1: The Strix

**Feast of Hunter's Moon**

**Synopsis**: On the night of the Red Moon, the Unseelie Court conducts a Blood Hunt. The Goblin King plans to win it, even at the expense of his beloved. J S

-

**Extended Synopsis:** Sarah unwittingly becomes an 'honoured guest' in the Unseelie Court's blood hunt. She has to evade her hunters for three nights if she wants to return to the mortal realm.

-

* * *

**-**

**-**

**-**

**Chapter 1: The Strix**

**-**

-

-

Sarah Williams had always second guessed herself, until, that is, she met him, Brendan Keruz, a twenty-seven-year-old zoologist. She'd first seen him at the _Arctic Wildlife Conservation_ convention in Vancouver, about two months ago. His appearance had somewhat unnerved her: his hair and eyes as dark as a raven's wing but his skin was as pale as the first snows of winter. He'd reminded her of another that she'd met a lifetime ago. And she'd been drawn to him, like a moth to a flame.

She recalled his speech and the passion and fury with which he described the uncontrollably melting snow. His fervour had intrigued her, and she'd sought him out. She had explained that she was doing her MBA and was researching businesses that supported wildlife conservation.

He'd asked her to dinner that night, and she'd gladly accepted his invitation to a Thai restaurant on Robson Street. He had given her a gift that day, a ring with a platinum band and a crimson stone. She'd only accepted it because he let her pay for dinner. She remembered how nervous she'd been at his forwardness before she put on the ring. Afterwards, the nervousness seemed to dry like morning dew in the afternoon. She felt strangely calm but exhilarated by his presence.

Sarah Williams went to her apartment in Richmond that night and decided she was in love. They had moved into a house right on the beach, overlooking the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. The house was his property and she had insisted that she pay some rent, but he would not hear of it.

* * *

- 

-

"This is an unbelievable view."

Brendan smiled at her, "I told you, you'd enjoy this hiking trip." He was setting up their tent, having ample trouble hooking it to the earth because much of it consisted of solidified lava.

Sarah sighed at the breath taking beauty of Mount Edziza Provincial Park, located in the north-western shoreline of British Columbia. She was clad in khaki hiking shorts and a light, full sleeved sweater. She marvelled at the weather, smiling as she thought of the early snow storm expected in Edmonton that day. They were far more north than Edmonton, yet the weather was warm enough that she only required a light sweater.

"Okay, I give up," Brendan said suddenly and she turned to look at him.

She laughed: he was wrestling with the giant orange beast. "We should have bought the tent in Mountain Equipment Co-op instead of the clearance section of Canadian Tire. Like _I'd _suggested," she added, teasing him.

Brendan's laughter mingled with her own. "Absolutely not. Mountain Equipment Co-op is way overpriced."

"Looks like we're sleeping under the stars tonight," she said, looking up at the sky. The horizon was darkening, but she knew the night would not be completely dark. The north sky followed a rule of its own, one that it followed strictly. Until the fall equinox, the night shone brightly, unable to leash its dark fury. After the September equinox, the night grew more powerful and swallowed up the day.

Sarah shivered, she suddenly felt very cold.

* * *

- 

-

_She heard a distinct drumming that grew louder and louder with every breath she took. __The owl like bird was flying, its talons exposed as if ready to strike down its prey. _

_The dark haired girl-child was oblivious; she was dancing in the moonlight with no care in the world. _

_The owl screeched as it drew nearer to the girl but she kept dancing, her arms flowing gracefully, in a sensual yet innocent motion. __The owl swooped down on the girl, its talons stabbing into her flesh and its beak biting her flesh. _

_The girl did not notice and she kept dancing wildly, her bare feet on tiptoes_

* * *

- 

-

Sarah awoke wildly. She exhaled in short, jagged breaths. Perspiration drenched her forehead.

_The owl…the owl had been him._

She inhaled sharply, her heart beating as wildly as drums in her dream. _Everything's fine_, she reassured herself, _Brendan is sleeping next to you, and everything is fine_. She looked at him, reassuring herself with his presence.

She watched him sleep at night, in their home; it was as if she had no control over herself. His beauty had a hauntingly addictive quality to it. Sometimes, she would feel like doing nothing at all and spend her time simply watching him. This feeling usually scared her, but now she sought solace in his ethereal beauty.

_A jarring sc__reech filled the night sky._

"Brendan!" Sarah screamed.

"Morning already?" Brendan's muffled voice answered her.

She heard the screech again, but further away this time. Sarah exhaled without realising that she'd been holding her breath. "No," she said, embarrassed now, "I heard screeches and was scared."

He laughed, his magical voice melodious yet distinctly male. "There are many kinds of owls that inhabit this land Sarah, they hunt at night."

She felt even more embarrassed. "I'm sorry for waking you," she told him softly, regret tinged her voice. She always felt inexplicably sad when she _felt_ she disturbed or disappointed him. She could feel her lips curve downward and negative thoughts begin to take control of her mind, almost as if a dark cloud had settled over her head.

Brendan rose and touched her shoulder gently with his fingers. "I'll start a fire, they won't venture here then."

"But-" One of them would have to stay awake to make sure the fire did not spread.

"I'll stay awake to monitor it," he said, hushing her. He lit the 'fire can' (as she called it) and placed a warm blanket around her shoulders. "You seem afraid of owls, Sarah, is it because you have heard of the Strix?"

"No, I had a bad experience as a kid," she replied.

"Tell me your worries and I will brush them away," he told her softly, his black eyes reflecting the crimson flame of the fire.

Normally, Sarah Williams would not have told a single soul, not even her brother Toby, about her experiences as a sullen fifteen-year-old girl. But Brendan's sweet melodious voice always compelled her to do as he asked. "You're going to think I'm crazy," she said shyly.

"Try me."

She sighed, "I wished my brother away to the Goblin King when I was fifteen. My memory's vague, but I ran through a kind of magical maze and got my brother back. The Goblin King turned into an owl at the end…"

They looked at each other for a few seconds before she laughed, _the story sounded ridiculous when she said it aloud._ She felt very secure, now that Brendan had placed a protective blanket around her slim shoulders. "It was probably just a bad dream."

Brendan laughed with her. "Here I thought you were worried about the Strix."

"The Strix?" she asked, she'd never heard of such an animal before.

"I'm not saying anything," Brendan said, smiling at her mischievously. "You seem to be owl phobic."

"I'm not owl phobic!" Sarah glared at him in mock anger. "You've piqued my interest; now tell me what a Strix is?"

Brendan suddenly turned serious as the spark in his eyes faded. "The Strix are birds of prey that resemble owls, but their screech is much louder. Their talons are much sharper, and their beaks are designed to bite into human flesh."

Sarah felt her mouth go dry and her heart beginning to thud again. She wanted to tell Brendan to stop, but could not.

"The feed on human blood, and sometimes human flesh. They search for their prey early in the year and hunt them on the night of the Blood Moon."

"During the Hunter's Moon?"

"Yes."

She felt a surge of helplessness as she heard his words. Her pale green eyes downcast, she spoke quietly, "the Hunter's Moon rises tomorrow night."

"Sarah, don't be ridiculous," Brendan consoled, half concerned and half amused. "It's only a story."

Sarah smiled at him, trying her best to look sincere. "You go ahead and sleep, I'm going to read," she said, placing herself in front of the fire.

"Unacceptable," he replied, grinning at her.

"No _really_, I brought a book that I've wanted to read for a while," she said, pulling out a copy of 'The Devil Wear's Prada' from her backpack. It was her turn to grin when she saw the look of disdain Brendan threw at the book. He had made clear that he thought some of her books ate away women's minds, programming them to be robots in a consumer driven society.

"Only because you insist," he said, kissing her quickly before getting back into his sleeping bag.

He fell asleep almost instantly; his features relaxed as he embraced peaceful slumber. Sarah felt a single tear slip down her cheek. Her heart ached from just looking at him, drinking in his image. She put her book aside because she knew she would not be able to read it. Instead, she gazed at her lover's sleeping form.

Hours passed, but Sarah Williams remained seated near the fire, her pale eyes hungry for something she couldn't describe. She could hear no screeches of owls, howls of wolves, or even the gentle thrum of the wind beating against her ears.

"You find him beautiful."

Sensation returned violently to Sarah as she immediately recognised the luscious, deep voice of the one standing behind her. She felt adrenaline rush into her blood stream and her muscles tensed, preparing her for flight. "Jareth," she said, turning to face him.

"Sarah," he replied, mirroring her.

A sickeningly cold fear gripped Sarah's body as she cast her eyes onto her enemy. "Why are you here?"

The King of the Goblins stood in front of the shivering mortal, his ageless face showing no expression. "I'm not here for you," he replied.

'_If not for me, then…no!' _Sarah Williams' mind reeled at the sudden realization. "You cannot have him."

His lips parted into a horrifying smile, as a dangerous emotion graced his piercing eyes. "He is already mine, I claimed him long before you did."

'_They search for their prey early in the year and hunt them on the night of the Blood Moon.'_

"No," she whispered. The thought of losing him was unbearable. She felt as if her soul would be ripped out of her body if he was taken from her.

"He was chosen by the Winter Court, Sarah."

_He was chosen? _

"We choose…capable beings so they can take part in the Blood Moon hunt. Your lover is a resourceful being, one that knows the rules of the Earth and her creatures."

"Take part?" she asked, incredulously. "Take part!" she repeatedly, anger seeping into her voice. "You hunt them down and eat them!"

He laughed, his voice rolled deeply from the base of his throat. "He will be our honoured guest."

She felt sick now. She imagined the owl's talons piercing into his beautiful skin, bleeding him as it feasted on his flesh. "Take me instead, please."

"Pardon me?" he asked, his voice deceptively quiet.

* * *

- 

-

-

-

-

Author's Notes:

-This idea has been in my head for a long time. Sometimes, I think the only person interested in these kinds of storylines…is me. Tell me what you think please.

-Yes, I set the story in Canada. Sue me. :P

OT-Damn, I had no idea that 'A Comedy of Fate' would garner so many hits. Glad to know I'm not the only one who likes a little silliness in her Labyrinth fanfiction.


	2. Chapter 2: Redemption Lost

**Feast of Hunter's Moon**

**Synopsis**: On the night of the Red Moon, the Unseelie Court conducts a Blood Hunt. The Goblin King plans to win it, even at the expense of his beloved. J S

-

-

**Preview notes:** I **may** (or may not :P) display a certain type of cockiness every now and then, but I don't think I'm better-than-anybody else. And when I said 'stories like this' in the previous chapter's author notes, I meant dark stories based mostly on imagination (rather than real mythology), with imperfect grammar, and possibly large plot holes. I did not (repeat, **not**) mean 'hey my story is so wonderful.'

-

-

**Warning: This is a dark story with mature themes, not suitable for anyone under the age of 16. **

**-**

**-**

* * *

**Chapter 2****: Redemption Lost**

**-**

**-**

The raven-haired being awoke early next morning, unsurprised when he did not see the mortal woman. Picking up his cell phone, Brendan called the nearest RCMP office, and waited patiently for them to arrive. He told them about their trip, how she had seemed fearful last night, and that she had been absent when he awoke. He told them she had been treated for delusions in the past, and she was fascinated with owls. He suggested that she may have followed one into the wilderness. They had asked him to accompany then to their headquarters in a nearby town called Smithers. He asked to stay on the camp site, in case she returned.

He was pleased of the plan's success: she had taken the offered bait. He was sceptical of the plan when he had first seen the woman, for her resistance to Glamour was stronger than most of the mortals' with whom he had interacted in the past. It took him a while to gain her interest, but he finally did so at the _Arctic Wildlife Conservation_ convention. The ring he had given her placed her under a powerful ensnarement spell, leading her to believe she was in love with him. There were times when she eyed him with distrust, knowing deep down that his effect on her was unnatural. However, she never figured out the power of the ring he had given her. She had fallen under his trap, as she should have, and had bitten her poison apple. His work in the mortal realm was complete, the King would be pleased with him.

A raven flew north until it disappeared from the horizon, its black wings beating evenly with the rhythm of the wind.

* * *

- 

-

The CBC national news reported a story about a missing couple, an upcoming wildlife activist and a former business student, both of whom had disappeared while hiking along the northern shores of British Columbia. They showed their viewers pictures of the couple, beseeching their help. They interviewed Sarah's family members in Edmonton, all of whom were grief stricken. They were worried about her, they said, because she had become very distant toward them lately. She would sometimes forget the names of close family members, even when she was speaking to them. They ended the show with a tear stained, eight-year-old boy pleading for his sister's safe return.

* * *

- 

-

"You may remove Raven's ring."

She looked at the man speaking to her, her dazed eyes, not knowing how much time had passed since she had left Brendan. The second she was separated from his presence, her senses had numbed, enveloping her in a chill colder than the prairie winters she had encountered as a girl. Her vision dimmed and her hearing softened, as if forlorn that they were denied his company.

He stood across from her on the earth floor in an empty room in his castle, garbed in leather the colour of rich, dark mahogany. His pale hair graced his head like a crown made of icicles and his knife-like eyes pierced into hers, calculating her every thought.

"Remove Raven's ring."

She did not speak, as her eyes gazed at him demurely. She did not move as he neared her, one hand reaching out to hold her wrist. But something violent in her awoke, when he held her hand and slid Brendan's ring off of her finger. She fought him, sinking her nails and teeth into his arm. She screamed and tried to pull the ring away from him, but he held it tightly. She sobbed relentlessly, begging him to return her cherished possession.

An emotion vaguely resembling pity flickered in his eyes, he had known the consequences of removing an ensnarement spell. Once ensnared, the mortal mind would forever be addicted to the sweet hypnosis of the spell. If removed, they would find a void in their souls, one difficult to fulfil. Most would walk the earth, seeking what they had lost, until their longing morphed into insanity. She was stronger than most mortals, he did not expect her fate to be as dark. But even _she_ would feel the sorrow of losing the spell.

There was a fable about one of his kind that fell in love with a mortal man and placed him under her spell. As the years passed, she felt guilty and removed the ensnarement, believing that he would truly love her afterwards. The man left her, horrified that he had been touched by one of their kind. He eventually walked into the ocean, choosing death.

She collapsed onto the dirt floor as an overwhelming sorrow broke her heart.

* * *

- 

-

She felt as if she was floating. She could not feel her feet, her hands, or her body core.

_And then, she saw herself. _

_She saw herself in the restaurant as he placed a ring on her finger. Her eyes turned hazy, and she looked at him in dull awe. She followed him after that, her eyes greedy with longing and her body begging for his touch. Unable to deny herself his presence, she stopped going to university. She had instead followed Brendan around the country, into the wilderness. _

_She had slowly lost her friends and family as she no longer cared about them. He occupied her thoughts like a cancerous obsession that was slowly taking control of everything in her life. _

_She watched in horror as she saw herself climb eagerly into his bed. She fervently pleased him, her body glowing as he touched her, caressed her, and possessed her. She lay down, exhausted afterwards, an eerie glow surrounding her body. _

_He told her they were going on a hike, he wanted to study the disruption in the hibernating patterns of black bears. He had taken her to a place of breath taking beauty where molten earth made jagged designs on the ground and the moon shone brightly in the night sky. _

_Then, she heard the owl's screech. The bird of prey swooped down on her before morphing into a pale haired creature._

* * *

_-_

_-_

Sarah Williams opened her eyes, coughing fiercely as nausea gripped her stomach. A myriad of emotions drained out of her body, leaving only a cold surge of horror and disgust in her gut. _Her mind and body had been used like that of a slave's!_

"Look at me," he commanded as he held her chin in his leather sheathed hand.

Anger burned in her pale eyes, brightening them. "Do not touch me," she hissed.

A small smile twisted the cruel, thin lips of the Goblin King. He welcomed her anger, an emotion not felt by those stripped of ensnarement. "You recovered fast," he told her, his tone quietly impressed.

"What did you do to me?" she demanded trying to twist her chin from his grasp.

"_I_ did nothing to you." His eyes betrayed no emotion, as they bored steadily into hers. He slowly removed his fingers from holding her chin.

Sarah swallowed feelings of sickness that threatened to manifest physically. "Did you do it for revenge?" she asked, her voice full of sneering hatred. "I'm surprised you sent one of your minions instead of humiliating me yourself, Goblin King." A hysterical smile broke out on her lips. "Believe me, I would have been much more sickened by _your_ touch than his."

The Goblin King laughed, the sound of his hollow laughter echoed wildly from the stone walls of his castle. "If only revenge were the reason Sarah, things would be simpler," he replied, his voice almost wistful.

Sarah clenched her fists tightly until her nails bit into her skin sharply enough to draw blood. She had to be in control of her emotions, _she had to_. "Nothing gives you the right to use my body as a puppet, Jareth." She tried to keep her voice from shaking when she spoke.

Jareth's eyes turned cold and his lips thinned into a cruel line. "This has nothing to do with your body, Sarah," he told her, his voice disdainful as if deriding her foolishness. "Have you forgotten why you are here?"

_She had forgotten. __How could she have forgotten? She had taken Brendan's place in the Blood Hunt. _

Her eyes slowly widened as realisation dawned on her. This had been his plan from the very beginning. "You wanted to trick me into becoming your prey," she said, unable to control the shakiness in her voice any longer, as a surge of adrenaline rushed through her blood stream.

A wicked amusement filled his dualistic eyes, she was trying to control herself from collapsing again "Prey is a…vulgar word to use in relation to the Blood Hunt. You are my guest."

"Tell me one thing Jareth, why go through all the trouble of setting up an elaborate plan with Brendan?" she asked. She tried her best to contain the despair within her when she said his name, and lock it in a safe place.

"The guest must enter the Hunt by his, or _her_, own choosing," he responded. "You wanted to save your lover from a horrible fate, even if it meant choosing the fate for yourself."

"I took his place because I was tricked into believing I was in love with him."

"Perhaps, but something else intrigued you as well," the Goblin King mused aloud, his face moulding into an expressionless mask. "You, being the victorious heroine that once defeated the Labyrinth, felt you were better equipped to return."

"Then you brought me here to kill me," her voice was quietly defeated. She could not bring herself to look at him, afraid the triumph in his eyes would be her undoing.

The Goblin King looked at the mortal woman, his merciless eyes pleased by her resignation. "I have brought you here for your resilience, not for your weakness."

She slowly raised her eyes to look into his, frustrated when she saw they were devoid of emotion. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you to help me win the Blood Hunt." A self depreciative scorn was present in his voice.

"No," she replied in a fraction of a second.

"You have no choice." He looked at her intently, his eyes fiercely unrelenting "the alternative would be… less pleasant."

Sarah laughed, the hysteria she had been bottling beneath the surface arose swiftly and purged itself. "After all that you've done to me, you have the gall to believe I would help you with _anything_? I would rather spend an eternity in the ninth circle of hell."

His lips slowly twisted, opening into a wry smile. "You know nothing of hell Sarah, not in your short years of existence."

She refused to speak to him as she turned her gaze onto the floor.

"You must control your anger and distrust against us, mortal."

Sarah recognized _his_ voice. She whirled her head upright as she looked into the dark eyes of her former lover. He was dressed differently than the last time she had seen him: he was sheathed in a thick black fabric. He wore boots, much like the Goblin King's, except they were more pointed and delicate. His hair was longer than she remembered. The biggest difference she noticed was his face: instead of the warm, friendly smile he used to have when he looked at her, his lips were pursed in a thin line, and his dark eyes were cold.

Sarah abruptly felt _sad_. She ached to touch him, just one more time. Her eyes could only see him as she slowly made her way across the floor, one hand reaching out to touch his face.

His hand caught hers before she touched his cheek. "Some effects of the spell need time to wear off. Control yourself."

Suddenly breaking out of her trance, she pulled her hand out of his, angry at having been controlled again. "Why?" she asked him, squashing the urge to scream out her betrayal.

"I did what I had to," he responded. His melodious voice cold but eyes were filled with a deep melancholy.

"I can't help you, I'm sorry." She looked away from him.

Raven sighed, a part of him felt sympathy for her situation. "If _she_ wins instead, she will possess you infinitely."

"She?"

The Goblin King eyed the mortal woman absorbedly as he stood beside her. A flicker of emotion had passed in his eyes when he saw her reach out to touch him. "Mab," he replied, even though the question had not been addressed to him. "The Winter Court has been ruled by her for a millennium."

Sarah jumped. _When had he moved to stand directly behind her?_ "What does this have to do with me?"

"I have challenged her for the Throne. She will compete against me in the Blood Hunt." His voice was deeply ruthless, "you would not want her to win."

* * *

- 

-

-

-

-

**End Notes: **

-Raven-- Brendan's real name

-RCMP-- Royal Canadian Mounted Police

-CBC-- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

-Perhaps comments about my Bio page should be best left for private messages/emails rather than reviews.

_-Reviews welcome_


End file.
